AUSTRALIAN DRUG DEATHS
There were 941 drug induced deaths in Australia in 2003.
More than one third of deaths (338) were from heroin or opioids and more than one third of deaths (374) were from benzodiazepines or antidepressants.
Methadone contributed 70 deaths,
Cocaine, narcotics and cannabis contributed 92 deaths.
The drug induced deaths by state were: New South Wales 307, Victoria 278, Queensland 151, South Australia 93, Western Australia 69, A.C.T. 23, Tasmania 17 and Northern Territory 3.
Deaths from accidental and long term drug use from using heroin, opioids, methadone, cocaine, narcotics and cannabis amounted to almost half (429) of all drug induced deaths.
Suicide caused a quarter of the drug induced deaths (278).
(Source: Australia Bureau of Statistics, Deaths Collection, Table 1, Drug Induced Deaths by Type of Drug/State)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA COMMENTS
Deaths from using drugs is only a small part of the cost to our Australian community.
There are significant long term health impacts for the users and our community from using illicit drug like heroin, opioids, narcotics, cocaine and cannabis.
Deaths from using methadone prove that detoxification and rehabilitation are better options than drug maintenance programs.
Our Council supports the International Narcotics Control Board that advocates illicit drug users should not be jailed but given detoxification then rehabilitation to get them drug free.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.
5/2005